Youth fund receives 13 809 applications, approves N$135m

The National Youth Development Fund (NYDF) has received about 13 809 applications since its establishment, with N$135 million in loans approved and N$90.8 million disbursed.

For the 2025/26 financial year, the government allocated N$258 million to the NYDF.

According to the Ministry of Finance, in an update released on Tuesday, those were the figures at the end of August.

The Development Bank of Namibia received the largest number of applications, at about 11 000, of which approximately 5 000 have been processed. Financing worth about N$67 million has been approved, with roughly N$40 million already disbursed.

Agribank received 1 611 applications, approving 66 worth about N$23 million, of which N$11.8 million has been paid out.

The Environmental Investment Fund received approximately 1 198 applications, approving 99 applications worth about N$45 million. About N$39 million of this amount has been disbursed.

The ministry says the high number of applications shows the demand for development finance, particularly among young people who struggle to meet traditional lending requirements.

“The large number of applications demonstrates both the entrepreneurial aspirations of young Namibians and the significant demand for affordable development finance,” the ministry says.

However, it acknowledges that the number of applications approved remains considerably lower than the number received.

The post Youth fund receives 13 809 applications, approves N$135m appeared first on The Namibian.